But not for you. Awww. Now that I've lost all the leeches who thought they were getting free gas I have a story (it's short I promise). So, let me start with a little back story. My mom and I have this new thing where we meet up every couple weeks and in a combined effort we make a dinner. She makes a dish and I make a dish and we hope the other one doesn't screw up somehow. Well, I have the main course tomorrow night and I'm lazy and haven't bought any of my groceries yet. I was planning on putting this task off even longer and getting it during my lunch break tomorrow, but I really hate doing any thing over my lunch break that doesn't consist of me being ultra lazy. So I drag myself away from my writing frenzy and go to the magnificent Hy-Vee down the street. It is an uneventful trip until I walking back out the door to my car.
A few slots down from my car I see a guy hovering near a car with flashers on and a cell phone to his ear. I think, "That sucks I should be nice and ask him if he needs help." Of course, if anyone know me like I know me I know that I'm not actually going to do this. I'm going to get in my car and think about how I should stop as I roll past his distress. I'm not a maliciously hateful person, but you always have that nagging voice in your head that says "he has a gun and if you try to help him he will shoot you and steal your car. Just roll on by and pretend you don't see him."
I have my car unlocked when a woman appears in front of me brandishing jumper cables that are already attached to her end. She's holding them out to me and even though there's only one thing she could possibly want I just stare at her kind of blankly. Where the hell did she come from anyway? So she asks the obvious and I, of course, pop the hood. This is something that takes absolutely no effort on my part so I don't mind being the good Samaritan for something that doesn't require any effort. I start my car and turn around and there stands flasher/cell phone guy. "Do you have any change I could borrow for gas?" I look down at my purse slung over my shoulder and then back up at him. I do this a couple times before finally admitting, "I don't carry cash." Now, of course, I look like a complete liar because it took me a second too long to answer. He walks away probably thinking, thanks for nothing.
By this time jumper cable lady is already done getting her car started and has detached herself from my car with a friendly wave. I slide the cap back on the dangerous part of my battery and slam the hood. Time for home. I see the guy still pacing by his car distressed. Well the least I can do is offer him a ride to the gas station since I looked like I just lied about not having cash. I circle the lot back to him and offer the ride. He explains how he has no cash for gas even if he gets to the station. I tell him I'll fill his little can so he can get home or wherever. His girlfriend comes out of the store at this point and rather pointedly says "Well hurry up." Nice. You're lucky you didn't ask me, bitch. I wouldn't have felt bad about saying no.
He climbs in and I drive quickly to the gas station. I can't put my music on because as much as I enjoy Wicked the Musical I don't think this guy was strictly the musical type of guy and I don't have any radio stations programed (why would I will an 80 GB iPod?). So, in all this silence I'm thinking of how this could blow up in my face. What if he snatches my iPod or my purse and runs? What if he punches me in the face and steals my car? This is why you don't take strangers to the gas station at 9:00 pm, moron.
We're back at the store and I am unharmed. Due to my silence the entire trip I'm pretty sure the guy was having similar thoughts run through his head. Why does she have the window rolled down and the AC on with no music? This girl is a serial killer and that's why she's not talking to me. She's going to run my ass into a telephone poll. This is why you don't ask for a ride to the gas station from a stranger at 9:00 pm, moron! We somehow both survived this traumatic good Samaritan story and I'm sure he won't run out of gas again any time soon.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
I Give Up
I officially hate Nebraska Furniture Mart. Anyone planning on buying electronics with them? DON'T! It's not worth the stress. If this had been the first time I had problems with them I probably would just be annoyed, but at this point I'm pissed. It seems to me that they have an awful lot of space and yet don't carry anything in stock. How does that work?
Several months ago my iPod was lost to the world. (There's a blog about it somewhere if you really care to read about that unfortunate time) I did some price checking so I could get the best deal on a replacement without buying used merchandise (that could've been stolen and wiped clean like my iPod probably was). I went to one of my favorite stores of all time, Best Buy, and noted that the 80 GB were now the same price as the 30 I had before. So, I kept that in mind when I went to other places to check prices. I went to the Mart and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was actually cheaper than my beloved Best Buy. Sweet, I'll take one of those! Um, nope. None in stock. What are you talking about? There are, like, 60 boxes behind the glass. Those are all 160 GB iPods. Great. Well you guys kinda suck. Oh well back to good ol' Best Buy. Frustrating, but I guess everyone sells out of the popular items once in a while. Best Buy managed to several on hand.
**This also wasn't the first time they let me down. I didn't find anything worthwhile at the Mart when I was computer shopping the year before and the Sony camera I bought was actually cheaper at Best Buy. Needless to say I haven't had the best of luck with the Mart ever.**
So we fast forward to July 25th now. I had done my research once again and found the Nikon D80 camera to be considerably cheaper at the Mart than Best Buy so I had collected many gift cards for my birthday and was ready to purchase the camera. I went to pick it up and the complete moron that's in the camera department is just putzing around. I asked him for one of the Nikon D80 and he says "Oh, we've been out of those for a long time. Did you need it right away?" (try to picture someone who sounds stoned the whole time). I tell him that I had a family reunion the next day and he opens the cabinet and there's a D80 in there. So he says, "this is a D80 but it has the bigger lens on it and this one's, like, $1000." Then he starts pulling all the components out of the more expensive one to look at it. I wasn't willing to pay $200 more just for a fancier lens (otherwise I would have gone with the one at Best Buy). So I asked him when the cheaper ones were coming in and he tells me "we are getting another shipment on July 31st. there should be some on that" and then he ignores me for another five minutes while he puts all the pieces back in the box.
So, I went in on the 31st and a really helpful woman is in the department this time. She says they had a shipment that day, but that the only one on that shipment had been ordered by someone else weeks ago and there were no extra ones. If I wanted one she could order it and have it in by the 5th. The asshole from Friday didn't mention this, of course. Basically I was too pissed to yell on Friday and the woman from the 31st was both helpful and informative and it totally wasn't her fault that her co-worker is completely useless so I couldn't rant and rave at her. It's bought and paid for now and I should have gotten it this afternoon.
Then I get the update today that they won't have any D80s in until the end of the month and there is at least one person on the waiting list who has been on there since May (that's right f'ing MAY!). So, this nice helpful woman is basically working for a crap company that doesn't order anything right. That's unfortunate. So, I get a hold of my best pair of yelling lungs (Kristi's mom) and get her assistance against the assholes at the Mart. You see, working in retail for 5 years has taught me two things 1)You cannot get cash back for gift cards. They try to pawn off store credit for something else if you want to return an item. Obviously I don't want anything from this store ever again so this policy is not going to go in my favor. 2) If you give a loud enough complaint you can pretty much get whatever you want (I don't normally condone this, but this was seriously the last straw). After maybe an hour Cindy had gotten them to refund the gift cards in the form of a check that they had initially claimed they would send out and I would get it in a week. Nope, not good enough. She convinced them they most certainly did not want her to come down to the store and start another storm where other people could hear so they agreed to have a check ready to be picked up... by Nick.
I'm sorry, but your crappy company was going to make me wait for at least a month for a camera I'd already paid for when I could easily go pick up the same camera at any other store that sold the damn things today. I don't think so. I don't want anything from your store so you're going to reimburse me everything I gave you, in cash, so I never have to step foot in your crappy department again. In the end, the check is in Nick's hands and I will be getting a camera from someone who actually can give it to me or at lest send it to me the moment I give them money. I'm not waiting until you finally manage to figure out where to order them from which all the other stores seemed to manage to figure out some time ago.
At the end of the day I have no problems with the employees of the store (except the douche bag who was working the camera department on July 25th. He could totally be fired and I would have no issue with that). But the company itself can kiss my ass and never expect further business from (at least in your electronics departments) me. Maybe after a considerable chunk of time I will be willing to shop for furniture from them.... but I don't see this happening any time soon. Your prices may be cheaper, but you just don't seem to have any stock. I could sell a computer I don't have for hundreds of dollars less too, but I don't because I have integrity and I wouldn't lie to someone about something I don't have. NFM, you kinda suck.
Several months ago my iPod was lost to the world. (There's a blog about it somewhere if you really care to read about that unfortunate time) I did some price checking so I could get the best deal on a replacement without buying used merchandise (that could've been stolen and wiped clean like my iPod probably was). I went to one of my favorite stores of all time, Best Buy, and noted that the 80 GB were now the same price as the 30 I had before. So, I kept that in mind when I went to other places to check prices. I went to the Mart and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was actually cheaper than my beloved Best Buy. Sweet, I'll take one of those! Um, nope. None in stock. What are you talking about? There are, like, 60 boxes behind the glass. Those are all 160 GB iPods. Great. Well you guys kinda suck. Oh well back to good ol' Best Buy. Frustrating, but I guess everyone sells out of the popular items once in a while. Best Buy managed to several on hand.
**This also wasn't the first time they let me down. I didn't find anything worthwhile at the Mart when I was computer shopping the year before and the Sony camera I bought was actually cheaper at Best Buy. Needless to say I haven't had the best of luck with the Mart ever.**
So we fast forward to July 25th now. I had done my research once again and found the Nikon D80 camera to be considerably cheaper at the Mart than Best Buy so I had collected many gift cards for my birthday and was ready to purchase the camera. I went to pick it up and the complete moron that's in the camera department is just putzing around. I asked him for one of the Nikon D80 and he says "Oh, we've been out of those for a long time. Did you need it right away?" (try to picture someone who sounds stoned the whole time). I tell him that I had a family reunion the next day and he opens the cabinet and there's a D80 in there. So he says, "this is a D80 but it has the bigger lens on it and this one's, like, $1000." Then he starts pulling all the components out of the more expensive one to look at it. I wasn't willing to pay $200 more just for a fancier lens (otherwise I would have gone with the one at Best Buy). So I asked him when the cheaper ones were coming in and he tells me "we are getting another shipment on July 31st. there should be some on that" and then he ignores me for another five minutes while he puts all the pieces back in the box.
So, I went in on the 31st and a really helpful woman is in the department this time. She says they had a shipment that day, but that the only one on that shipment had been ordered by someone else weeks ago and there were no extra ones. If I wanted one she could order it and have it in by the 5th. The asshole from Friday didn't mention this, of course. Basically I was too pissed to yell on Friday and the woman from the 31st was both helpful and informative and it totally wasn't her fault that her co-worker is completely useless so I couldn't rant and rave at her. It's bought and paid for now and I should have gotten it this afternoon.
Then I get the update today that they won't have any D80s in until the end of the month and there is at least one person on the waiting list who has been on there since May (that's right f'ing MAY!). So, this nice helpful woman is basically working for a crap company that doesn't order anything right. That's unfortunate. So, I get a hold of my best pair of yelling lungs (Kristi's mom) and get her assistance against the assholes at the Mart. You see, working in retail for 5 years has taught me two things 1)You cannot get cash back for gift cards. They try to pawn off store credit for something else if you want to return an item. Obviously I don't want anything from this store ever again so this policy is not going to go in my favor. 2) If you give a loud enough complaint you can pretty much get whatever you want (I don't normally condone this, but this was seriously the last straw). After maybe an hour Cindy had gotten them to refund the gift cards in the form of a check that they had initially claimed they would send out and I would get it in a week. Nope, not good enough. She convinced them they most certainly did not want her to come down to the store and start another storm where other people could hear so they agreed to have a check ready to be picked up... by Nick.
I'm sorry, but your crappy company was going to make me wait for at least a month for a camera I'd already paid for when I could easily go pick up the same camera at any other store that sold the damn things today. I don't think so. I don't want anything from your store so you're going to reimburse me everything I gave you, in cash, so I never have to step foot in your crappy department again. In the end, the check is in Nick's hands and I will be getting a camera from someone who actually can give it to me or at lest send it to me the moment I give them money. I'm not waiting until you finally manage to figure out where to order them from which all the other stores seemed to manage to figure out some time ago.
At the end of the day I have no problems with the employees of the store (except the douche bag who was working the camera department on July 25th. He could totally be fired and I would have no issue with that). But the company itself can kiss my ass and never expect further business from (at least in your electronics departments) me. Maybe after a considerable chunk of time I will be willing to shop for furniture from them.... but I don't see this happening any time soon. Your prices may be cheaper, but you just don't seem to have any stock. I could sell a computer I don't have for hundreds of dollars less too, but I don't because I have integrity and I wouldn't lie to someone about something I don't have. NFM, you kinda suck.
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